the red cross girl-第11章
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〃The first class；〃 he explained patiently； 〃is the Great
Grand Cross； and is given only to reigning sovereigns。 The
second is called the Grand Cross； and is bestowed only on
crowned princes； prime ministers； and men of world…wide
fame 。 。 。 。 〃
〃What's the matter with Doctor Gilman's being of world…wide
fame？〃 said Peter。 〃He will be some day； when Stetson starts
boosting。〃
〃Some day；〃 retorted Stimson stiffly； 〃 I may be an
ambassador。 When I am I hope to get the Grand Cross of the
Crescent； but not now。 I'm sorry you're not satisfied；〃 he
added aggrievedly。 〃No one can get you anything higher than
the third class； and I may lose my official head asking for
that。〃
〃Nothing is too good for old man Gilman；〃 said Peter； 〃nor
for you。 You get the third class for him； and I'll have
father make you an ambassador。〃
That night at poker at the club Peter sat next to Prince
Abdul； who had come from a reception at the Grand vizier 's
and still wore his decorations。 Decorations now fascinated
Peter； and those on the coat of the young prince he regarded
with wide…eyed awe。 He also regarded Abdul with wide…eyed
awe； because he was the favorite nephew of the Sultan； and
because he enjoyed the reputation of having the worst
reputation in Turkey。 Peter wondered why。 He always had found
Abdul charming； distinguished； courteous to the verge of
humility； most cleverly cynical； most brilliantly amusing。 At
poker he almost invariably won； and while doing so was so
politely bored； so indifferent to his cards and the cards
held by others； that Peter declared he had never met his
equal。
In a pause in the game； while some one tore the cover off a
fresh pack； Peter pointed at the star of diamonds that
nestled behind the lapel of Abdul's coat。
〃May I ask what that is？〃 said Peter。
The prince frowned at his diamond sunburst as though it
annoyed him； and then smiled delightedly。
〃It is an order；〃 he said in a quick aside； 〃bestowed only
upon men of world…wide fame。 I dined to…night；〃 he explained；
〃with your charming compatriot； Mr。 Joseph Stimson。〃
〃And Joe told？〃 said Peter。
The prince nodded。 〃Joe told；〃 he repeated； 〃but it is all
arranged。 Your distinguished friend； the Sage of Stillwater；
will receive the Crescent of the third class。〃
Peter's eyes were still fastened hungrily upon the diamond
sunburst。
〃Why；〃 he demanded； 〃can't some one get him one like that？〃
As though about to take offense the prince raised his
eyebrows； and then thought better of it and smiled。
〃There are only two men in all Turkey；〃 he said； 〃who could
do that。〃
〃And is the Sultan the other one？〃 asked Peter。 The prince
gasped as though he had suddenly stepped beneath a cold
shower； and then laughed long and silently。
〃You flatter me；〃 he murmured。
〃You know you could if you liked！〃 whispered Peter stoutly。
Apparently Abdul did not hear him。 〃I will take one card；〃 he
said。
Toward two in the morning there was seventy…five thousand
francs in the pot； and all save Prince Abdul and Peter had
dropped out。 〃Will you divide？〃 asked the prince。
〃Why should I？〃 said Peter。 〃I've got you beat now。 Do you
raise me or call？〃 The prince called and laid down a full
house。 Peter showed four tens。
〃I will deal you one hand； double or quits；〃 said the prince。
Over the end of his cigar Peter squinted at the great heap of
mother…of…pearl counters and gold…pieces and bank…notes。
〃You will pay me double what is on the table；〃 he said； 〃or
you quit owing me nothing。〃
The prince nodded。
〃Go ahead；〃 said Peter。
The prince dealt them each a hand and discarded two cards。
Peter held a seven； a pair of kings； and a pair of fours。
Hoping to draw another king； which might give him a three
higher than the three held by Abdul； he threw away the seven
and the lower pair。 He caught another king。 The prince showed
three queens and shrugged his shoulders。
Peter； leaning toward him； spoke out of the corner of his
mouth。
〃I'll make you a sporting proposition；〃 he murmured。 〃You owe
me a hundred and fifty thousand francs。 〃I'll stake that
against what only two men in the empire can give me。〃
The prince allowed his eyes to travel slowly round the circle
of the table。 But the puzzled glances of the other players
showed that to them Peter's proposal conveyed no meaning。
The prince smiled cynically。
〃For yourself？〃 he demanded。
〃For Doctor Gilman；〃 said Peter。
〃We will cut for deal and one hand will decide；〃 said the
prince。 His voice dropped to a whisper。 〃And no one must ever
know；〃 he warned。
Peter also could be cynical。
〃Not even the Sultan；〃 he said。
Abdul won the deal and gave himself a very good hand。 But the
hand he dealt Peter was the better one。
The prince was a good loser。 The next afternoon the GAZETTE
OFFICIALLY announced that upon Doctor Henry Gilman； professor
emeritus of the University of Stillwater； U。 S。 A。； the
Sultan had been graciously pleased to confer the Grand Cross
of the Order of the Crescent。
Peter flashed the great news to Stetson。 The cable caught him
at Quarantine。 It read： 〃Captured Crescent； Grand Cross。 Get
busy。〃
But before Stetson could get busy the campaign of publicity
had been brilliantly opened from Constantinople。 Prince
Abdul； although pitchforked into the Gilman Defense
Committee； proved himself one of its most enthusiastic
members。
〃For me it becomes a case of NOBLESSE OBLIGE；〃 he declared。
〃If it is worth doing at all it is worth doing well。 To…day
the Sultan will command that the 〃Rise and Fall〃 be
translated into Arabic； and that it be placed in the national
library。 Moreover； the University of Constantinople； the
College of Salonica； and the National Historical Society have
each elected Doctor Gilman an honorary member。 I proposed
him； the Patriarch of Mesopotamia seconded him。 And the
Turkish ambassador in America has been instructed to present
the insignia with his own hands。〃
Nor was Peter or Stimson idle。 To assist Stetson in his
press…work； and to further the idea that all Europe was now
clamoring for the 〃Rise and fall；〃 Peter paid an impecunious
but over…educated dragoman to translate it into five
languages； and Stimson officially wrote of this； and of the
bestowal of the Crescent to the State Department。 He pointed
out that not since General Grant had passed through Europe
had the Sultan so highly honored an American。 He added he had
been requested by the grand vizier who had been requested
by Prince Abdulto request the State Department to inform
Doctor Gilman of these high honors。 A request from such a
source was a command and； as desired； the State Department
wrote as requested by the grand vizier to Doctor Gilman； and
tendered congratulations。 The fact was sent out briefly from
Washington by Associated Press。 This official recognition by
the Government and by the newspapers was all and more than
Stetson wanted。 He took off his coat and with a megaphone；
rather than a pen； told the people of the United States who
Doctor Gilman was； who the Sultan was； what a Grand Cross
was； and why America's greatest historian was not without
honor save in his own country。 Columns of this were paid for
and appeared as 〃patent insides；〃 with a portrait of Doctor
Gilman taken from the STILLWATER COLLEGE ANNUAL； and a
picture of the Grand Cross drawn from imagination； in eight
hundred newspapers of the Middle； Western； and Eastern
States。 special articles； paragraphs； portraits； and pictures
of the Grand Cross followed； and； using Stillwater as his
base； Stetson continued to flood the country。 Young Hines；
the local correspondent； acting under instructions by cable
from Peter； introduced him to Doctor Gilman as a traveller
who lectured on Turkey； and one who was a humble admirer of
the author of the 〃Rise and fall。〃 Stetson； having studied it
as a student crams an examination； begged that he might sit
at the feet of the master。 And for several evenings； actually
at his feet； on the steps of the ivy…covered cottage；
the disguised press…agent drew from the unworldly and
unsuspecting scholar the simple story of his life。 To this；
still in his character as disciple and student； he added
photographs he himself made of the master； of the master's
ivy…covered cottage； of his favorite walk across the campus；
of the great historian at work at his desk； at work in his
rose garden； at play with his wife on the croquet lawn。 These
he held until the insignia should be actually presented。 This
pleasing duty fell to the Turkish ambassador； who； much to
his astonishment； had received instructions to proceed to
Stillwater； Massachusetts； a place of which he had never
heard； and present to a Doctor Gilman； of whom he had never
heard； the Grand Cross of the Crescent。 As soon as the
insignia arrived in the official mail…bag a secretary brought
it from Washington to Boston； and the ambassador travelled
down from Bar Harbor to receive it； and with the secretary
took the local train to Stillwater。
The reception extended to him there is still remembered by
the ambassador as one of the happiest incidents of his
distinguished career。 Never since he came to represent his
imperial Majesty in the Western republic had its barbarians
greeted him in a manner in any way so nearly approaching his
own idea of what was his due。
〃This ambassador；〃 Hines had explained to the mayor of
Stillwater； who was also the proprietor of its largest
department store； 〃is the personal representative of the
Sultan。 So we've got to treat him right。〃
〃It's exactly；〃 added Stetson； 〃as though the Sultan himself
were coming。〃
〃And so few crowned heads visit Stillwater；〃 continued Hines；
〃that we ought to show we appreciate this one； especially as
he comes to pay the highest honor known to Europe to one of
our townsmen。〃
The mayor chewed nervously on his cigar。
〃What'd I better do？〃 he asked。
〃Mr。 Stetson here；〃 Hines pointed out； 〃has lived in Turkey；
and he knows what they expect。 Maybe he will help us。〃
〃Will you？〃 begged the mayor。
〃I will；〃 said Stetson。
Then they visited the college authorities。 Chancellor Black
and most of the faculty were on their vacations。 But there
were half a dozen professors still in their homes around the
campus； and it was pointed out to them that the coming honor
to one lately of their number reflected glory upon the
college and upon them； and that they should take official
action。
It was also suggested that for photographic purposes they
should wear their academic robes； caps； and hoods。 To these
suggestions； with alacritypartly because they all loved
Doctor Gilman and partly because they had never been
photographed by a moving…picture machinethey all agreed。 So
it came about that when the ambassador； hot and cross and
dusty stepped off the way…train at Stillwater station he
found to his delighted amazement a red carpet stretching to a
perfectly new automobile； a company of the local militia
presenting arms； a committee； consisting of the mayor in a
high hat and white gloves and three professors in gowns and
colored hoods； and the Stillwater silver Cornet Band playing
what； after several repetitions； the ambassad
